Winnie's Wish
by Sylvia the Mer-Human
Summary: Winnie runs away from her home to search for the Tucks, going far from Treegap. But will she find them before she's too old? She wants to drink the water, but has to find them first. But what about when finds them? Will she regret her choice?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Winnifred Foster crept out of her window, her carpetbag swinging from her arm. She wandered towards the graveyard to look at the graves of her parents. She was thirteen when they died in a buggy accident, and had been sent to boarding school, but now she was home for the summer, with her aunt. Winnie ran silently into the forest, searching for the water. At last she found it. Taking a small bottle from her pocket, she scooped up some of it, her fingers touching the cool water with trembling fingers. She looked back once, and caught sight of the T carved in the tree trunk. Winnie smiled. She missed her darling Tucks. She hadn't seen them for six years, and it brought tears to her eyes when she thought of them. But she couldn't linger here, her watchful aunt would be awake in a few hours, and if she wasn't far away by then, she'd be doomed. Turning away from the spring that had changed her life, she began to run towards the stables. Winnie had inherited a horse from her father when he died, and she often rode her when she was home, (siddlesaddle, of course, her aunt would always watch.) now, reaching the horse, Bree (A/N I know this is one of the horse's names in the Horse and His Boy, but I couldn't think of anything) she quickly saddled her, then mounted her astride, and rode out of the stable, her coat flying behind her. Several hours later, she had reached the port, and boarded the ship, handing the usher her ticket, and giving Bree to one of the stablehands nearby. Sneaking a second glance at him, he looked like Jesse, but it was probably her imagination, since she was trying to find them. Winnie figured the best way to find the Tucks was to go far away, somewhere away from Treegap. Presently one of the porters came up to her to show her to her room.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Miss...?"

"It's Tuck. And no, there isn;t anything, thank you." After the porter left, Winnie stared at the wall, realising that she had just called herself a Tuck. _And why not? _Winnite thought, dropping into a nearby chair. _If I drink the water, it's for Jesse. He's the one that wanted me to drink it, and if I do, I'll marry him and I'll become a Tuck. Right? Wow. Those are a lot of "if's".  
_

First chapter done! Please review. I hope I can update soon, this was a spur of the moment thing. I haven't decided what Winnie will do.


	2. so close, and yet so far

Disclaimer: I don't own tuck Everlasting

Winnie was exhausted. She had looked around London all day, asking innkeppers and blacksmiths if they had seen the Tucks, giving a description. No one had, but one old man had heard Winnie ask a blacksmith, and he wheezed out,

"I remember a Tuck. Miles was his name. Very good blacksmith." Winnie stared at him in shock.

"When did you see him?" Winnie asked breathlessly. Her hopes were dashed when the man smiled and said,

"I haven't seen him for fifteen years. He'd be around forty, I reckon. Looks like he's too old for you, miss. Best go find someone your own age." He chuckled, and handed her a photo of the Tucks. "He left it behind." Winnie stared at the photo. They looked exactly the same, waving at the camera from in front of the pond that Winnie remembered, where Tuck tried to tell her not to drink the water. She smiled, and said a quick thank you, then departed.

The next day she boarded a train to Paris. She remembered how Jesse loved it. After arriving there, the first thing she did was climb the Eiffel tower. She saw nobody she recognized. Leaning against the railing, she dropped her head into her hands and began to cry. SHe had been gone for four months and not a soul had seen the Tucks. Money wasn't an issue, she helped bake bread in bakeries, or clean stables. She loved any work that wasn't cleaning. Sudden;y she felt a light tap on her shoulder. A young woman stood there.

"M'excuser. Vous avez tombé cette photo. Si vous les cherchez je peux vous aider. Je sais un d'eux." The woman smiled and handed Winnie her photo of the Tucks that the old man had given her. Winnie smiled.

"Thank you. I didn't understand what you said, though. I don't speak french." To her surprise the woman smiled and said.

"I can help you. I know one of the people in this photo. Jesse Tuck. He worked for my father for a month. He left Paris a week ago. Winnie gasped. She stammered,

"Where did he go?" The woman just smiled.

"To a small town that he said holds great importance to him, and propose to a girl there." Winnie bit her lip. So she was too late. He'd found someone else. With great difficulty she swallowed and asked Jesse's sweetheart's name, and what town she lived in. The woman raised an eyebrow, as if questioning why she wanted to know, but obligingly she answered, "I don't know the girl's name, but the town I've never heard of. I believe it was called Treegap."

Winnie stifled a cry. She thanked the woman, then dashed downt the stairs, her bag in her hand, and sprinted to the nearby train station. She had to get home at all costs. If Jesse got there and found out that she was gone, he'd probably leave again. Then Winnie would have to run around the world looking for him, or any of the Tucks, before she was too old to drink the water. She had to get home in time. She just had to.


	3. The journey to Never

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Back on the train to England, Winnie's thoughts raced wildly. She'd have to pick up Bree from the stable, and catch the next ship. She waited impatiently, relieved when the long ride was over. She picked up her skirt and ran towards the stables, quickly paying the stablehead, and mounting Bree, before galloping away.

As soon as Winnie reached the wharf, she gasped as she heard the engines fire up.

"Wait!" Winnie screamed, tears gathering in her eyes. She'd never make it now. "Wait!" A crewman was beginning to pull up the gangway. Winnie ran to him and gasped, "Please! You must let me on. I need to. Please!" The crewman shook his head.

"We'd only have room for your horse, miss. Wait... yes, we'd have room for you, if you were taking care of the animals. That would pay your way across. What say you, miss?" Winnie nearly burst into tears of happiness.

"Certainly. I'd love to. I have experience, too! Thank you so much!" Winnie was about to hug the man, but decided against it after looking down at herself. Her travel dress was stained and torn in several places. Her hair was pulled back messily, and it was filthy and greasy. Winnie smiled ruefully. She thought of what her aunt would say if she ever saw Winnie like this. The crewman quickly ushered her into the ship, showing her the place where she'd be staying, and introducing her to the head groom. The groom looked Winnie up and down before nodding and saying,

"You don't look like you're afraid of horses or dung. That's good. You'd never survive if you were."

Suddenly the ship gave a great lurch as it pulled away from the wharf. Winnie sighed. For the time being, she could do nothing more but hope and pray that she made it in time. Winnie's job gave her a surprise one morning when during the morning feeding she saw a fat old horse, looking rather resigned. Winnie stared. This horse looked exactly like the horse the Tucks had. She sighed. She was seeing signs of the Tucks everywhere, but not the Tucks themselves. It was maddening. But at least she was on her way to see Jesse.

The head groom liked the job Winnie did. And it seemed he liked Winnie, too, for near the end of the journey, (being rather drunk), he asked Winnie if she would come with him to his town, and become his wife. Winnie had responded by deftly slapping him across both cheeks. And after a seemingly endless journey, the ship arrived at its destination. It was Winnie's duty to see everyone's animals off the ship, but as soon as the the doors were opened, Winnie had her bag on her shoulder and rode out of the ship, and now she had a day's rise to get back to Treegap. Winnie had to stop many times, since poor Bre was lazy and could never gallop for long.

The next day, day, Winnie finally rode the cowpath back into Treegap. The fateful forest loomed ahead of her. Quickening Bree's pace, Winnie's heart raced as she wondered what she would find.

Meanwhile, an hour earlier, Jesse Tuck had knocked on the door of the Foster's, looking rather shabby. When he asked for a Miss Winnifred Foster, Winnie's aunt rad replied,

"Miss Foster no longer lives with us. She departed several months ago."

Jesse sighed and left. He wondered if her words had meant that Winnie had left and gone somewhere, or if they meant that she was dead. He hated to think about the latter. But, just in case, he headed towards the graveyard. He found the plot for the Fosters, finding her parents, but not her. Jesse smiled. So she was alive! He turned and headed towards the forest, to think about what he should do next. He wandered towards the spring. Sitting down, he leaned against the giant tree that hid the spring. He bit his lip. How would he find Winnie?

Winnie was thinking how she would find Jesse. She decided to head for the spring. Maybe an idea would come to her. She'd avoid her aunt, that was for sure. But as she meandered towards the center of the forest, she received the shock of her life.

Jesse Tuck sat there, looking exactly like he did the six years ago. Winnie cried out,

"Jesse!" Jesse looked up in astonishment, seeing his Winnie, the beautiful girl he missed so much. He sprung up, and walking up to her, gave her a big hug. (A/N What? You were expecting a kiss? They haven't seen each other for years, it would be weird.) Tears were streaming down Winnie's cheeks as she clung to Jesse. She wasn't to late. Finally pulling away, she sobbed, "I was looking for you, Jesse Tuck. I only came back in time because some woman in Paris told me you worked for her father, and came back here." Jesse laughed.

"You went to Paris to find me? Winnie Foster, you are one brave girl."

"I'm seventeen now, Jesse. I had my birthday while travelling. I haven't drank the water yet, though. Should I?" Jesse sighed.

"Winnie, you shouldn't ask me. I love you to death, but this is a big sacrifice for you. There's no going back." Winnie bit her lip. Jesse was right. but she wanted to be with the Tucks, forever. She had made her choice. She turned away from Jesse and said...

Muahahaha! I'm evil. I know what she's going to to. Please r&r!


	4. New Life, Old love

Disclaimer: The end of my last chapter certainly got some reviews! Anyway, you guys have waited long enough. Without further ado...

Winnie turned away from Jesse and bit her lip, tears spilling down her cheeks, and said,

"Jesse Tuck, I love you. I know you wouldn't have back here if you didn't love me. I've made my choice. I'm going to drink the water and be with you. Forever." At this she turned to Jesse, a hesitant smile on her lips. Jesse gaped. He had just heard Winnie say she would drink the water. He wouldn't be alone anymore! He engulfed Winnie in a bone-cracking hug.

" Winnie Foster, I will never leave you. But if you had chosen to stay mortal, it would have killed me to see your name on a gravestone. Thank you, Winnie." Finally Winnie pulled away.

"But, what about children? We can't force them to drink the water. It would spread, from generation to generation. How will we work around that?" Jesse blinked. He hadn't thought about that.

" I guess there are only two choices: no children, or have children, and let them grow up and live a normal life, and suffer the pain of our children dying. Either way, it will hurt." Winnie nodded. Suddenly she smiled.

"Jesse, I still have to drink the water. Come on!" She pulled him over to the spring. Moving the pile of stones, she gulped as she saw the water. Glancing up at Jesse, she whispered a prayer, then cupped the water to her hands and raised it to her lips and drank it. Swallowing, she looked up. Jesse was staring at her in wonder. Winnie had actually taken a sip of the water! He gaped as she took another sip, then another. Winnie straightened up.

"Good thing I didn't drink it when I was ten, right, Jesse?" She was smiling. "I feel different. To make sure this works, I'm going to climb the tree and jump off." First she covered up the water, then grabbed a low branch and began to pull herself up. When Winnie was three-quarters of the way up, she called down to Jesse, "Is this high enough?" Jesse nodded, watching with bated breath. His throat closed as he saw her leap, and watched her fall towards the ground. The ground rose up to meet her with a loud thump. Jesse ran towards her. Winnie hadn't moved. Suddenly she sat up.

" Well, that worked. Felt really odd, but didn't hurt a bit!" Laughing, she kissed Jesse. Suddenly Jesse remembered something.

"Winnie Foster, will you marry me?" He took Winnie's hand. Winnie gasped, then smiled.

" Of course I will. I didn't drink that water to wander alone. But, your parents and Miles have to be at the wedding, too. We have to find them." Jesse nodded.

"I know where they are. Ma and Pa are in Ireland. They're staying for a year. I'll send them a letter, then we can go visit them. Miles is in Newfoundland, I think."

"Oh, Jesse. I forgot, I can get my inheritance now. I'm of legal age. I also want to say goodbye to my aunt. She has some things I need to get. And don't worry, there's a different constable now. Nobody will recognize you." Suddenly Jesse gave a start. Her inheritance? Of course! He had seen her parents' graves in the cemetery.

"When did your parents die?" Jesse wasn't used to having relatives die.

"When I was thirteen. In a buggy accident. Come on!" Grabbing Jesse's hand, Winnie pulled him towards the road, grabbing Bree. First they stopped at the post office so Jesse could quickly post letters to Mae and Angus Tuck, and Miles. After that they went to the bank, and Winnie had to sped forty-five minutes filling out release forms. Before going to Winnie's house, they stopped at the cemetery to see The Fosters' graves one last time. Winnie picked some wild flowers and placed them on the grave. Finally they reached Winnie's house. Her aunt opened the door.

"Winnifred!" The sharp, piercing voice of Winnie's aunt sliced the air. "Where have you been. And who is _he_?" She said this with great contempt.

"Aunt Millicent, I've come to say goodbye. I'm not coming back. This boy is to be my husband. I will need my clothes and a bag." Winnie stepped into the house motiones for Jesse to follow, and headed towards her room. Grabbing another bag, she unceremoniously dumped her dresses into it, but leaving the corsets. She gave her aunt a hug, then turned and walked out the door, Jesse at her heels, and leaving her house forever.

Within a few days, Winnie and Jesse were on a ship to Ireland, heading towards a new life. Winnie couldn't wait. She was free. Finally free.

Chapter four done!yay! more to come. please r&r!


	5. Now and Forever

Disclaimer: thanks for the reviews. I own nothing.

At long last, Winnie and Jesse reached Ireland. Jesse had the address, so they hitched a ride from a toothless old man driving a buggy. They jumped out at their destination, a small,

homely cottage near the end of a deserted road. They thanked the man, who tipped his hat and rode off, and knocked on the door. Winnie was feeling apprehensive. How would they react to her choice? She'd have to tell them sometime. Jesse smiled at her. He saw her feelings etched on her face. Suddenly the door swung open. Mae Tuck stood there. When she saw them her hand flew to her throat. A letter was clutched in her other hand. She seemed only partially prepared for what she saw.

"Jesse! Winnie? My you've grown. Come in, come in."

After ushering them inside, she gave them both big hugs, a huge smile on her face. Winnie looked around. She was strongly reminded of the house the Tucks owned when she was there. Plates stacked precariously in the kitchen, needles poking out of the couch. Winnie smiled. It was so welcoming. Just then, Angus Tuck walked into the room. He stared at Winnie and Jesse for a moment before giving them both hugs.

"What on Earth? Winnie, you've grown so much! Jesse, I'm sorry, I don't think you've grown." Tuck smiled. "What brings you here?"

Winnie bit her lip. They'd have to tell them what happened. After they all sat on the couches, Winnie began to explain about how she'd gone looking for them, how her parents had died, how she had found Jesse in Treegap. Tuck sighed. Winnie continued, saying about how they had decided to get married. Tuck gave a start. "Marriage? How will that work? Winnie won't be young forever." Winnie bit her lip again.

"Actually, I will be young forever. I drank the water. I couldn't let you guys go. you're the best thing that ever happened to me!" She had looked at the ground while saying this, her eyes filling with tears.

Tuck's eyes filled with tears, too. He had tried to stop her, but now it was too late. As much as he loved her, he didn't want her to endure the pain of living forever. Winnie looked at him. "Please don't be sad. It's a choice I made, and it's a choice I have to live with now. But we want you to be at the wedding. You're my family, too."

Tuck nodded. His throat was too dry to speak. Meanwhile, Mae had been silent the whole time. But now she smiled.

"Welcome to the Tuck family, Winnie. I would say Winnie Foster, but there's really no point in that, seeing as I'm welcoming you into the Tuck family."

Everyone laughed. Winnie was deep in thought. Yes, they were here family now. Now and forever.

Sorry, I know this is a short chapter, but I couldn't make it very long. Please R&R, more to come!


	6. Sealing Forever

Disclaimer: Sorry for the wait. I do not own Tuck Everlasting.

Winnie Tuck sighed. It had been two weeks since the wedding, and she felt rather bored. Life in Ireland was very slow paced. Right now she was sitting on the porch of Mae and Angus' house. Winnie and Jessie were going to Paris in three days, and they looked forward to it. Miles had left the day before.

Winnie smiled when she thought of the wedding, which had taken place in a small chapel near Dublin.

Flashback

Winnie drew in her breath, trembling. Her hands were shaking, but she was smiling nonetheless as she looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror in front of her. She was in a small room in the chapel, getting ready. Mae fussed over a wrinkle in the train of her dress.

"You look beautiful, Winnie. Jesse won't be able to take his eyes off of you."

Mae's eyes were shining with tears, but they were happy tears. Winnie loved her dress. It was cream colored, with a scooped neck and lace on the edge of the neckline, and white embroidery all over the bodice. Long, flowing sleeves with matching embroidery and lace hid her shaking arms. A three-foot train rustled delicately behind her. The dress had been Winnie's mother's. She had written to her aunt, asking her to send it over, and her aunt had obliged. Winnie's hair was also magnificent. Pulled softly back from her face, several strands escaped and framed it, set into perfect curls. The back was a stunning updo, with long curls hanging down and grazing her shoulders. White lilies were entwined through her hair.

Soon it was time. Winnie went to the doors of the chapel, and stepped through them, holding a bouquet of white lilies. Mae walked behind her, dressed in blue, and holding up the train. The chapel was quaint, with some white ribbon along the pews, and bouquets of lilies here and there. Jesse looked very handsome in his dress clothes. Winnie smiled at him as he took her hand and they faced the priest. Mae, Angus, Miles, and few others watched the ceremony. When it was over, Winnie and Jesse kissed, as everyone in the vicinity clapped. Flashback End

Now Winnie had sealed her fate, marrying Jesse. She had drunk the water, and looked forward to facing eternity with Jesse Tuck, the boy who changed her life forever. Literally.

Phew! Another chapter done. Please R&R. More to come!


	7. Forever's End

Disclaimer: Sorry I haven't written in so long. This is the final chapter. I don't own tuck everlasting.

50 Years Later

50 years. It had been only 50 years. Winnie couldn't believe it. She and Jesse had had 4 children, Angus, Jennifer, Mae, and Hailey. They were grown up now, Angus being near 40, and the others not far behind. They still grew like normal human beings. Jesse and Winnie had told them about the water, but they never told them where it was, so the children grew up normal. Just then Jesse came in. The two were on a ship, bound for France, but they had just left, so it would be a few days. Winnie had been staring at a photograph of her and Jesse's family. Mae, Miles, Angus, Jesse, Winnie and the children. Suddenly she began to cry.

"Winnie! What's wrong?" Jesse went up to Winnie, perched on the edge of the bed in the small cabin, and gave her a hug. Winnie shook her head. She missed progressing. Moving with her family, growing like they did. Of course she was glad to be with Jesse, but she missed…living. She told Jesse this between sobs. Jesse nodded. "Come on, Win. It's not so bad. You just have to get used to it." Winnie nodded. He was right. They couldn't change it and that was that.

She went to the washroom to wash her face. As she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she gasped. She looked, older. She had noticed before, faintly, that small lines of age seemed to form on her face. But she didn't understand. She was seventeen forever. She wasn't supposed to age! Upon inspection of Jesse's face, she noticed she wasn't the only one 'aging'. Jesse also had the tiniest lines. He looked around twenty. Winnie didn't understand how she didn't see it before. But she shrugged the thought out of her mind.

Two months later, after making a detailed tour of France, Jesse and Winnie checked into a small inn in Paris. The next morning, Winnie suggested that they go to the Eiffel Tower. So, twenty minutes later the two were standing hand in hand at the top of the Eiffel Tower. It was particularly crowded today, and as Winnie leaned a bit farther over the edge, someone accidentally bumped into her, and the momentum sent Winnie sailing over the edge, much to the horror of the people nearby. Jesse watched, wide-eyed, as she fell noiselessly to the ground below. He knew she would be all right; after all, they couldn't die. But what would people say when she got up and walked around, unharmed? He went to the bottom as fast as he could.

A crowd had formed around the spot where Winnie had hit the ground. Jesse impatiently pushed his way through. He knew at once something was horribly wrong. Blood trickled from Winnie's mouth. But, she couldn't! That would mean that she was hurt, and being hurt…meant they were mortal. He dropped to his knees next to her and grabbed her hand. He was getting very worried. Her hand was icy cold. He bit his lip. What happened? An ambulance came soon after, and after the paramedics bent over her still body, they announced something that made Jesse's heart as cold as Winnie's hand… she was dead.

Jesse felt his mind reeling. Winnie…dead. But she had drunk the water. She hadn't aged. What was going on? A moment later, he had passed out.

Jesse had Winnie's body sent back to Treegap, and in a closed-casket service, she was buried in the graveyard, at the very edge of the Foster plot, so that someday Jesse could rest next to her. Mae and Tuck had come to the funeral also. They seemed older, also. Jesse talked to them, and it seemed that the water had stopped working. They were mortal again. The three went to the spring to try to find out why. As they piled away the rocks, they gasped. There was nothing there. It was gone. Dry as dust. They even dug for a while, but to no avail. It seemed once the water dried up, their life was no longer forever. But why had it dried up? They never found out.

Epilogue

Jesse did not marry again. He traveled alone, for nearly a year, before coming back to Treegap to live. He got ill and died, almost three years after Winnie's death. He was buried next to her.

Twenty years after Winnie's death, Angus died, smiling because he was not afraid. Mae followed not two months afterward. They were buried in Treegap, side by side, and Mae next to Jesse. Miles married again, when he was '30', and sure that he was aging again. He grew old with his family, and lived in England, with a wife that reminded him of his first wife, so many years ago. Forty-three years after getting married, he died peacefully. His wife had his body sent to Treegap, and he was buried next to Angus. And so all the Tucks were buried in a line, Winnie, Jesse, Mae, Angus, and Miles, one by one they had died, but death didn't bother them, for they only started living once forever ended.


End file.
